We all know when the dreaded housing selection day arrives. Freshmen go into it with blind hope, and juniors palm-sweat at the idea of not getting their intended housing. But I want to understand why I don’t hear of this happening at other universities. Sure, there is fear surrounding their housing process, but it doesn’t leave the campus silent with lost hope and dread for the next year.
In the two housing processes I’ve gone through, I’ve never gotten my planned housing. And no, it is not a matter of having a low lottery number; I blame it on the lack of options provided by Moravian.
Why is it that “The Fastest Growing University in the Region” doesn’t have enough housing to maintain this title? Why have we spent millions of dollars on a new HUB building, when we clearly have other, more pressing problems? Now, don’t get me wrong, I am an avid fan of the HUB, but when it comes down to having it versus more housing, I would choose housing every day of the week.
If the university wants to correct these problems, it should first construct a new housing building with suite-style singles. Moravian has an undergraduate population of roughly 2,000 students. Out of this population, one third are student athletes, and around 15% are nursing students– two groups whose schedule demands early mornings and consistency. In these situations, living with a roommate can be stressful. Some of these students have days that start at 4:30 AM, and worrying about waking up a roommate should be a last concern.
However, for many, it is a common anxiety-inducing routine of the morning. Beyond individual stress, this issue has a much larger impact: it affects students’ happiness and the university’s reputation. Students feel as though their basic living needs are not being met, and at a school with a steep sticker price, this should not even be a conversation. It should already be met.
Students who share these opinions about their housing needs not being met begin to look elsewhere for schooling. I am not the only student who has considered transferring because of housing, and that alone should raise concern. A university cannot continue to grow if it cannot support the students it currently houses. If Moravian wants to uphold its title as “The Fastest Growing University in the Region,” it must prioritize housing, not as an afterthought, but as a necessity. Because at the end of the day, we’re students, and we can adapt to many challenges– but feeling unsettled in the place we are expected to call home should not be one of them.
Additionally, if the university wants to correct this problem, it should allow more students to apply for off-campus housing. If you take one drive around historic or downtown Bethlehem, you’ll see plenty of student housing opportunities. If the university allowed more students to live off campus, it would create more space for on-campus housing and boost overall student satisfaction with their living arrangements.
Also, living off campus can be one of the best ways to integrate into adult living. After all, we won’t be in college forever, and we need to start somewhere. Being in an off-campus house teaches financial responsibility and independence, better time management, and, let’s be honest, makes for some of the best memories.
Moravian should do better to meet the needs and wants of its student population. Housing selection shouldn’t be an event that causes tears and sleepless nights; it should be a time to celebrate with new roommates and to be excited about the upcoming year. If Moravian truly wants to grow, it must first take care of the students it already has. Because no university can call itself truly successful if the students feel like an afterthought.
